What We Learned From Week 8

Added on Oct 30, 2012 by Scott in

NFL

The 2012 NFL season is half over. By now we can pretty much discern which teams are angling toward the playoffs and which ones have one finger on the panic button. There will likely be a couple of surprises from now until January, but for the most part the picture being painted is coming into focus. Blowouts were in full effect on Sunday and Monday, which is a telltale sign the power teams are beginning to flex their muscles. Here’s what we learned during Week 8.

Superstar blues – Cam Newton is suffering through a miserable season for the Panthers. Call it a sophomore slump or chalk it up to a nightmarish string of bad luck. Cam has accounted for 11 turnovers and 8 touchdowns. Needless to say, not a great ratio. However, the defense has collapsed down the stretch in each of their last four losses. Blame the quarterback, but understand it’s not all his fault.

Vick’s last hurrah – 2010 must seem like a lifetime ago for Michael Vick. His team is melting down all around him and even he appears resigned to the fact that his days in Philly are numbered. He was probably the lone bright spot in Sunday’s dismantling at the hands of the Falcons. And yet that will do nothing to let him off the hook for his dreadful season. If he can’t muster one last miracle comeback, he’ll likely be packing his bags in 2013.

Failure to communicate – The Jets have become laughable to watch on a weekly basis. Mark Sanchez has gone spaz again, the defense is confused and even the always positive Rex Ryan looks glum. Injuries and a glaring lack of talent have finally caught up to the entire franchise. It will take more than a couple of band aids to repair the damage. A tear down rebuild seems imminent.

Rivers run dry – The San Diego Chargers are once again imploding before our very eyes. In the past, Philip Rivers has avoided much of the criticism. Those days are over. He hasn’t looked right for two years. His velocity is down and his field vision isn’t what it used to be. A weak receiving corps isn’t helping, but great quarterbacks are supposed to compensate for shortcomings.

Balance is power – The Patriots secondary is still vulnerable, but it’s apparent Bill Belichick has learned a thing or two from his two Super Bowl defeats to the Giants. Tom Brady and the vaunted passing attack isn’t enough to win it all. The current Pats own the fifth best run game in the league and they are using it not just to grind out lopsided affairs, but to set the table early in contests. Physical is the word and it’s one that will serve them well in January.

Peyton’s pride – Don’t look now but the Broncos are becoming a problem. Evidently Peyton took umbrage to all those pundits who believed he was washed up, because he is getting sharper by the week. There is very little this Denver team doesn’t do well. And with an extremely soft schedule on the horizon, they could be in line for the number one overall seed in the AFC.

Bye, bye Birdie – The Cardinals have dropped four straight after opening the season 4-0. And now the defense is beginning to show some warts. Next up are the Packers and Falcons. From darlings to dreck. Such is life in the NFL. Oh well, it was fun while it lasted.